1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the use of certain 2-substituted glutaraldehydes as disinfectants.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known that aldehydes such as formaldehyde, glyoxal and glutaraldehyde have disinfecting action and therefore are used in disinfectants. However, there are various disadvantages in the use of these aldehydes. For example, although glyoxal is odorless and a good surface disinfectant, it is not sufficiently active in suspension tests. Other aldehydes, such as formaldehyde or glutaraldehyde, although quite active, are limited in their application and in-use concentration because of their penetrating and obnoxious odor. Furthermore, because of their volatility, their toxicologic effects must be considered.
The formation of resistant microbial strains and the process of natural selection require that new agents be found which supplement the activity of the known disinfectant agents or enhance their activity against such resistant strains. The preparation of new agents makes it possible to substitute them for presently used disinfectants and thereby decrease the formation of resistant strains.
There is a need therefore for agents which are highly active as disinfectants, are essentially odorless or have a pleasant odor, and have low volatility.
Certain 2-alkylideneglutaraldehydes are described in the art. See for example, Bull. Soc. Chim. France, 1965, 1358, J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 100, 4215, 4218 (1978), J. Org. Chem. 24, 1382-3 (1959) and 42, 3994-7 (1977), and Chem. Abstracts 63, P18108a (1965), 68, 48984e (1968) and 79, 41831w (1973). No biological utility for the 2-alkylideneglutaraldehydes is disclosed in the foregoing references.
Certain 2,6-dialkoxy-3-(1-alkoxyalkyl)tetrahydropyrans are disclosed in J. Org. Chem. 24, 1382-3 (1959). This reference discloses that the 2,6-dialkoxy-3-(1-alkoxyalkyl)tetrahydropyrans are readily converted by known methods to 2-alkylideneglutaraldehydes.